Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-12-13
Famous American DueIs.

the challenger in both. The first was with
Humphrey Msrshall while both were mem
b.rs of the legislature of Kentucky They
were of opposite parties and constant antag-
gonists, and during debate Marshall in.
dulged in personal remarks so severe and
denunciatory as 10 draw message from
Mr.. Clay. They met and exchanged two
or three sbots. both being slightly wounded.
Clay's second duel was 10 1926 with John
Randolph. Mr.. Clay at this line was Secre
tary of State under John Quincy Adams,
and Randolph was senator from Virginia.
Randolph, in one Of bis fearful Trades
against The administration. in which he fair
! iy exhausted the uurivale ed vocalu ary Of
. hue, attacked the President aud Secretary
Of Stare person ally, and spoke of them as
coalition of B il aud Black George, the
conbnation, unneard of ill then, of tbe
Puritan With the blsckleg" Not content
with this, be went on to cell Mr.. Clay's pro-
geDifors to account for briuRipg into The
world this being, 80 brilliant yet so cur,
rupt. which. ike 8 rotten macsetei by
moonlight, shined and stunk." \ It oni,
for this b!ackgusrd abuse, but also for Ger.
tain Installations against bis truth, Mr.. Clay
called him out. Tney met on the Virginia
side Of he Potomac aud exchanged Shots.
! he ST FIRE was Intellectual, but on the
secouG, Gays bullet pierced the folds of
the white flannel wrapper which Randolph,
with his usual e5ceutricity, wore o5 the
| field Randolph fred in the air, aud ad-
vancing with extended band, at the same
time ahouted, in bis shrill and piercing
voice "M. Clay Mir Clay. you owe ne a
rev wrapper" Thank God" replied Clay,
the debt IS no greater" and took the e1
tended hand and shook it warmly. They be
came last friends from that time.
The duel between Jonathan Ciley, OF
Maine. and William J. Graves, of Kentucky,
both mem bers of Congress- is notable from
ne fact hat there vas not the least person
al aDimosty between them. Both went
upon The field expressing the highest regard
for each other, fought with rifles at eighty
yards, and on the third frs Clley was shot
dead. The seconds, who were Henry a.
Wise, of Virginia, for Graves, and George
! w Jones, afterwards Senator from Iowa,
| for Ciley, were greatly blamed for tne fatal
! termination of the duel, and were undoubt.
edy responsible for il. The duel turDed en-
irsiy upon 8 pobt of honor. Ciiley bad
made some structures iG debate upon the char
| acter of james Wnaon Webb, the famous
! New York editor Webb seut him chsl.
lenge by the bands of Graves, which Cilley
refused to receive, not on the ground of being
opposed 10 duelling, but on the ground that
! Webb was not q man of honor, and hence not
! entitled to demand the satisfaction usual
among gentlemen. 1t is @ maxim of the
Code" that a person taking that position
makes himself amenabls to the secocd be-.
cause it is q reflection on him that he would
act 10 such q manner for man devoid OF
honor. Graves took this view of it, and ac-
cordngly sought out second for himself
and challenged Mr.. Cilley. Cilley accepted,
oil the time protesting the highest regard
and friendship for Mr.. Graves. He chose
rifles at eighty yards. The first two shots
proved Intellectual, but the seconds made 10
proper effort 10 then settle the matter. at
the third fire Ciley fell mortally woun-
ded, aud died on the ground. There have
been many other duels between men,
bers of Congress, but none more foolish than
this.
The sentiment against dueling was very
strong in the North, and in many states
there were stringent legal enactments against
il. In 1856 the assailant of Charles Sum
DER, Preston Brooks, challenged Anson Bur-
| lingame, of Massachusetts. Burlingame ac'
cepted aud proposed "rifes at the Clifton
House, Canada. which Brooks declined.
About the samo time Roger A. Pryor, of
Virginia, now we'll known lawyer in New
York, challenged John Potter, of Wiscon-
sin, aDd when Potter accepted and pro-
posed bowie sniyes, Pryor declined the
! cn;nb6t